Suspension link for centrifugal extractor casings



Sept. 8, 1953 SUSPENSION LINK FOR CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTOR CASINGS Filed Oct. 20, 1950 F. OCONOR |2 23 '29 35 2| E l5 7 36 26 520 E 24 I4 27 x 3132 25 I 33 I9 I/ II/ l3 2 FIG. I

INVEN TOR.

FRANK O'CONOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 8, 1953 SUSPENSION LINK FOR CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTOR CASINGS Frank OConor, Moline, Ill., assignor to American Machine and Metals, Inc., New York, N. Y., a

corporation of Delaware Application October 20, 1950, Serial No. 191,103

3 Claims; (Cl. 248-18) The invention relates to that type of centrifugal extractor in which liquid is extracted from material contained in a basket revolving on a vertical shaft supported in a casing which'is suspended at a number 'of points around its circumference from. pedestals. This permits any unbalance in loading the basket to cause the casing itself to vibrate. The weight of the casing tends to reduce the amplitude of the Vibration, and the suspension prevents the transmission of the vibration to the building in which the centrifugal operates. Generally the casing is suspended at thre points from pedestals rising from the floor by some form of linlm which are free to act as a pendulum. Although the suspending link is essentially a pendulum, itmust meet exact requirements. Th invention provides means for more fully meeting these requirements than links hitherto provided.

Since it is impossible to load the material into the basket so that the weight is distributed around the spindle with absolute uniformity, the

extractor will normally operate with an unbal anced load.

If we assume that this unbalanced load is uniformly distributed along a vertical line on one side of thebasket, theilower end'of the suspension will describe a small circle; Since the upper end and thelower end of the suspending links are held vertical, this creates flexure in the suspen- S1011. I

The actual motion of the lower end of the suspension is not as simpleas indicated. Frequently the extractor armature is driven by a motorattached to one side of the casing. Since the motor armature is in balance, conditions are no longer symmetrical about the axis of rotation of the basket and the path reversed by the lower end of each suspension link will be different. Frequently the three pedestals are spaced unevenly around the side of th casing in order to better support the weight of the motor attached to one side of the casing. This also complicates the motionsof ,tributed uniformly along OneSide but a portion of the unbalance may be on one side of the basket near the bottom while the rest of the unbalance may be near the top on the opposite side of the basket. This creates a dynamic unbalance which creates an upward force on the suspension lugs that transmit th weight of the basket and the casing to the suspension links. If this upward force is stronger than the downward force created by that portion of the weight carried by that particular link, there is a tendency for the lower link to be pushed upward. As this happens once in each revolution, thereis a very unpleasant sound and corresponding wear upon the suspension link. Since th weight on these suspension links closest to the driving motor which is sup-' as if they were simple pendulums, th require ments are much more complex.

It has been found that a vertical bolt with a ball and socket support at both ends will crystalize and break, especially if lubrication on the ball and socket joints is not maintained. Similarly, a short length of wire rope firmly crystallize and break, especially if lubrication 'on lower end in th lug, on the extractor will fray. Chains will wear rapidly where one link rests upon the other.

The measure of a well designed extractor is the amount of unbalance which it can carry without excessive sway. The invention provides an extractor which will carry a greater degree of unbalance than has hitherto been possible byproviding a link, which in its preferred form allows an unrestricted pendulum action Within narrow limits by using a chain for suspension but encas ing the chain in a container which is filled with grease. This need not be renewed during the lift of the suspension and thus it assures permanent lubrication. The link is further provided with an element acting as a strut which-will prevent any upward tendency from lifting the load completely off the links and thus prevent jumping. Finally the invention recognizes that the combination of the various stresses upon each link is' able to carry 12.5 pounds after the links which" 5 form the subject of this invention were installed.

Applicant is the first to provide a chain suspen- A further object of the invention is to provide a tube which is adapted to surround the chain links on which an extractor is suspended having cupped shaped ends pressing against flexible washers which, under the ;-pressurc, expand against both the edge of the cup and the anchor bolt thus preventing loss of lubricant.

Still another object of the invention is to pro,- vide a chain suspension for an extractor housing surrounded by a tubular strut having cup shaped ends which bear against washers and means at one of the supports suspending the chain for compressing the flexible washers between which the tubular strutis located to the extent desired.

Fig. l is an elevation of a centrifugal extractor which incorporates the invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through a. suspension post showing the suspension in detail.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the top of a pedestal with the cap removed showing the plate from which the chain is suspended and the screws for regulating the pressure on the tubular strut and the flexible washers.

Fig. 4 is a cross section along the line 3- 3 in Fig. 2.

The typical extractor shown in Fig. 1 hasv a tub shaped housing i which may be closed by a cover 45. Supported in the base of this housing is a vertical shaft 5 which supports an extractor basket (not shown) within the housing and a pulley 6 below the housing. Attached to one side of the housing is a bracket 1 which supports the motor 8. The motor shaft carries a drive pulley which is conn cted to the extractor pullerfi by belts ll.

Spaced around the circumference of the cir-.- cular housing are three lugs 2 each of which is suspended from a pedestal 3 in a manner more fully described below.

The enlarged vertical section through a pedesta1 shown in Fig. 2 shows the invention more completely. A top view of the pedestal shown in Fig. 2 with the cap removed is shown in Fig; 3. As shown in these views, each pedestal maycone sist of a bent piece of boiler plate [3 set on edge toform a hollow post open on the side'toward the extractor housing. To the upper end of this post is attached a crescent shaped plate I4 which may have upstanding edges (5 which locates the cap (2. The cut away portion l6 permits the suspension to extend up to the suspension plate 21 which rests on the top of the plate l4 and is attached thereto by a number of screws 29. The cap covers the upper end of the anchor bolt and the adjusting screws related thereto.

At 34 the suspension plate is drilled for the reception of the stem 2| of the anchor bolt. The suspension chain I! is attached to the anchorage ends of the anchor bolt [8 by a pin l9. In a similar manner an anchor bolt is attached to the lower end of the chain and bolted to the flat part 28 of the channel shaped lug 2. The upper anchor bolt may be drilled axially as shown at 22 to permit supplying grease to the inside of the suspension through the grease fitting 23. A metal washer 24 is slipped over each of the anchor bolts l 8. A washer 25, made of resilient material bears against the metal washer 24. A suspension chain IT is surrounded by a metal tubular strut 30 which has cup shaped ends which consist of a horizontal disc 3| surrounded by a cylindrical flange 32. 'Ribs 33 may be provided to secure greater stiifness in these outwardly extending cup shaped ends of the tubular struts. One of the resilient washers 25 fits snugly into each of these cylindrical extensions 32. Nuts 26 fitted on a threaded end of the anchor bolt bear against the suspension plate 21 at the top and against the horizontal portion 28 of the lug at its lower end and permits drawing the shoulder 20 on the anchor bolt snugly against the support.

Three screws 35 each provided with a lock nut 33 are symmetrically placed relative to the anchorage end 18. The more said three screws are turned downward, the harder the plate 24 will press against the resilient washer 25. This pressure will be transmitted from the upper resilient washer through plate 3| to thetubular strut 30 and thence to the corresponding element at the lower end of the suspension assembly. By referring more specifically to Fig. 2, it will be evident that the machine can jump vertically only to the extent that it can compress the two resilientwashers.

As each of these washers is compressed it will expand laterally and in so doing it will bear with increasing intensity against the upstanding flange 32 and the sides of the anchor bolt l8. Thus, leakage of grease along the edges of the tubular strut or bolts is prevented.

It will be evident that if the extractor gyrates slightly the lower anchor bolt moves within a small circle. In this case, the presence of the strut surrounding the chain will impose no re straint on the movement. But if the movement becomes larger, the restraint created by the combination of the strut, its flanges, and the resilient washers will increase. Thus, by proper adjustment of the screws 35 the desired degree of restraint may be efiected.

I claim:

1. A suspension assembly for a centrifugal extractor having lugs and hung from pedestals with slotted tops, comprising, a slotted plate bolted to the top of the p d sta a should red anchor bolt drawn up against the under side oi said plate, another shouldered anchor bolt drawn up against the top of a lug projecting from the extractor, a chain extending from one of said anchor bolts to the other, a tubular strut surrounding said chain, outwardly extending hori-- zontal flanges at the endsoi said strut, resilient washers on said anchor bolts bearing against said flanges, a flat metal washer on the anchor bolt mounted in said plate, and means accessible from the top of said plate for forcing said metal washer along the anchor bolt to compress the flexible washers against said strut and the lug.

2. In a centrifugal extractor, in combination, an extractor housing having three laterally projecting horizontal lugs, three pedestals of U shaped section the open side facing said extractor and one of said lugs projecting into said open side, a horizontal plate at the top of each pedestal, a chain extending from each of said lugs to one of said plates to allow the centrifugal housing to sway horizontally, a tubular strut surrounding each chain, resilient washers at each end of said strut, a metal washer above the upper resilient washer, and three screws passing through said plate for urging said washers against the strut and the lug to restrain the freedom to sway of said extractor housing.

3. In a centrifugal extractor, in combination, an extractor housing having at least three laterally projecting lugs, at least three pedestals of U-shaped section, each section having an open side facing said extractor and one of said lugs projecting into said open side, a plate at the top of each pedestal, a chain extending from each of said lugs to one of said plates to allow the centrifugal housing to sway horizontally, a tubular strut surrounding each chain, resilient washers at each end of said strut, a metal washer above the upper resilient washer, and a plurality of screws passing through said plate for urging said washers against the strut and the lug to restrain the freedom of sway of said extractor housing.

FRANK OCONOR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,564,770 Eynor Dec. 8, 1925 1,936,461 Sando et a1 Nov. 21, 1933 2,138,167 Holder et a1. NOV. 29, 1938 2,390,213 Geldhof et al Dec. 4, 1945 

